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To speed up implementation of infrastructure projects worth ₹100 lakh crore across the country at both the Central and State levels and bring down logistics cost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the ‘PM GatiShakti - National Master Plan’ for multi-modal connectivity to economic zones with ambitious goals in the areas of road, railways, aviation, clean energy and digital connectivity.
“We are laying a foundation for the next 25 years. This national master plan will give ‘gatishakti’ to development plans of the 21st century and will help in the timely completion of these plans,” Modi said, officially unveiling the GatiShakti National Master Plan on Wednesday.
The project will incorporate infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments designed and executed with a common vision, per a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office. The plan will incorporate projects under existing flagship schemes under different Ministries including Bharatmala, Sagarmala, Bharat Net, Udaan and expansion of road and railway networks and inland waterways.
High implementation cost
The PM pointed out that high logistics cost in India, at 13 per cent of GDP, was impacting competitiveness in exports and GatiShakti will play an important role in reducing costs and also bringing down turnaround time. This, in turn, will give a boost to India as an investment destination.
It is expected that the Master Plan, which was announced by the PM this year on August 15 and has been designed to be in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, would also expedite projects under the $1.5-trillion National Infrastructure Pipeline.
“PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan will give a push and direction to various development plans and will also encourage investments. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the G20 summit will be held here in 2023 for the first time,” said Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
A digital platform has been created under the plan that will bring 16 Ministries such as railways, civil aviation and roadways together for better planning and coordination towards building connectivity through infrastructure projects.
The logistics division in the Commerce & Industry Ministry will be the nodal department for the project and it will be guided by an empowered group of secretaries to be headed by the Cabinet Secretary.